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(No Model.)

I 'AQLAUBSOHBR. RUPFLER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Pat-entedSept, 24,1395;

ATTO R N E.Y

ANDREW BJPRANA MvPNOTOUTHQWASHINGTON. ILC.

ALEXANDER LAUBSCHER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WHEELER & WILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

RU FFLER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,670, dated September 24, 1895.

Application filed February 1, 1895.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER LAUB- SOHER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ruffiers for Sewing-Machines'of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a ruffierwhich is effective in its operation in all respects and yet so simple in construction and easy of adaptation and adjustment as to be within ready comprehension and use by the average inexperienced person, and therefore especially adapted to the requirements of what is commercially known as the family trade.

I obtain these objects by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 show my ruffler attached to a sewing-machine ready for use. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the ruffler complete, but detached from the sewingmachine. Fig; 4 shows a perspective view of the separatorplate, (so called.) Fig. 5 shows the carrier (so termed) for the crimping-blade,with crimping-blade and operating connection attached. Fig. 6 is a plan or top view, and Fig. 7 is a side View of the presser-foot only. v

The principal parts are lettered as follows: A, the presser-foot; B, the operating-lever; C, the carrier; D, the connection; E, the crimpingblade, and F the separator-plate. The presserfoot A is so constructed as to serve the double purpose of a resser-foot proper for the sew-' ing-machine and also as a frame, to which all the operative parts may be either directly or indirectly attached. Extending rearwardly (or to the left, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2) from the top of the presser-foot A is a projection, marked a, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, to which, by means of a screw passing through its hole and secured by a check-nut, is pivoted the operating-lever B, and to a projection extending upwardly from one side of the foot and turned at right angles to lie parallel with but somewhat above the bottom of the same is also a projecting member. (Shown at o Figs. 6 and 7.) Into the two holes of this Serial No. 537,011. (No model.)

projecting member (which holes are properly tapped or threaded for the purpose) are inserted screws 6 and c, Fig. 1, having suitable bodies and large heads, which screws are secured by check-nuts on the opposite side, (shown at g and g, Fig. 3,) and thus rigidly affixed to the said projecting member. 'Now the bodies of these screws are of such a size as to just fit freely within the oblong holes or slots in the crimping-blade carrier 0 and of a length very slightly greater than the thickness of said carrier, so that when passed through the said slots and rigidly affixed by means of the check-nuts g and g the carrier C may slide freely back and forth to impart the required movement to the crimping-blade E. When the operating-lever B and the crimping-blade carrier C are thus affixed to their respective projections of the presser-foot A, the two are joined by means of the connection D, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This connection is pivotally attached at-both ends, the lower end being secured by a screw hav ing an enlarged body between its threaded end and its still larger head, which, passing through the hole in the end of the connection and screwed tightly against the carrier, serves as a pivot on which the connection may turn to the required extent, and the upper end bebig so attached that it may be immovably though pivotally secured in any'portion of the slot of the operating-lever B. This attachment is made by means of a thumb-screw, 'a washer, and a nut, the latter shown in detail in Fig. 3. When assembled, what might be called the body portion of the thumb-screw fits loosely withinthe hole in the end of the connection and serves as the pivot on which it may oscillate. The washer, with its hole too small to slip over the body of the screw, prevents the connection from being tightly clamped, while the threadedportion of the screw, passing through the slot of the operating-lever B, enters the nut on the opposite side and, clamping the operating-lever between the washer and the nut, holds the thumb-screw firmly fixed in whatever position it may be placed before tightening. The nut is provided with a projection upon'its face, (see detail drawing in Fig. 3,) which enters the slot in operating-lever B and prevents the nut from turning when operating the thumb-screw.

Upon a projecting member of the crimpingblade carrier, which stands at right angles with the body of the same, by means of a small screw I attach the tooth-pointed and flexible crimping-blade E. (Shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and '5.) hen thus attached the forward end of the crimping-blade E extends beneath the forward end of the presser-foot and overlies the separator-plate, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

The separator-plate F is constructed of thin flexible steel and shaped as seen in Fig. 4 and detachably connected to the side of the projection of the presser-foot marked a The means of attachments are as follows: The check-nut g, which may be seen in Fig 3, (used for locking the screw 0,) has its inner surface reduced in size to form what might be termed a shortsleeve or projection upon its inner face, over which may be passed the notch 0 of the separator F, and the thumb check-nut g being partially removed to expose a portion of the body of the screw 0' the notch 0 of separator F is passed over that screw, when by turning up tightly the thumb check-nut g the separator-plate is firmly held in position. When thus attached its forward end extends beneath the front end of the presser-foot and the toothed end of the crimping-blade E to prevent injury to the latter by contact with the feed-points of the sewing-machine. (Not shown in the drawings.) The various notches in the lower flange of the separator-plate and also in the front end of the presser-foot A serve as guides for the passing fabric under different conditions and need not be specifically explained. As is well known, it is the office of the crimpingblade to lay the fabric which is to be gathered or ruffled into crimps or folds preparatory to being stitched. The fabric to be thus gathered is interposed between the crimpingblade and the separator-plate beneath, and is gathered by the reciprocating action of the blade. The reciprocating movement is imparted to the blade-carrier and the blade by means of [the operating-lever B through the connection D, the lever being actuated by the needle set-screw (so called) or a like protuberance attached to the needle-bar of the sewing-machine for the purpose, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The front end of the operating-lever B is forked in such a manner that it may not be continuously impelled by the needle-bar, but may remain at rest during a portion of the movement of the latter, for purposes hereinafter explained. In Fig.2 the needle-bar and the forked end of the operating-lever driven thereby are fully up and the crimping-blade drawn fully back; but upon the descent of the needle-bar the operatinglever is forced down and the crimping-blade drawn forward during a portion of such descent; but when the lever has descended to the position shown in Fig. 1 the face of that portion of the lower fork of the opcrating lever against which the needle set-screw impinges to force it down has assumed a perpendicular position, which permits the needle-bar to continue its descent without further movement of the lever, and at the same time this extended prong of the opei'atinglever, resting against said screw, prevents any retrograde movement of the crimping-blade and holds the crimp firmly compressed until the needle in its further descent has punctured the fabric and secured the newly-laid crimp or plait in permanent position. By this it will be seen that the entire movement of the crimping-blade takes place while the needle is out of the fabric and the fabric free to be operated upon by the blade, and also that the blade after laying the crimp is rigidly held to prevent any displacement of the crimps until the same are secured by the needle.

To produce ruffling with varying degrees of fullness the movement of the crimpingblade is increased or diminished by setting the adjustable end of the connection in different positions of the slot at the rear end of the operating-lever B. As the degree of movement of this lever is always the same, it is evident that if the adjustable end of the connection is affixed near the fulcrum the movement of the crimping-blade and the consequent fullness of the ruffle will be diminished,while the same will be increased if the end of the connection is affixed nearer the opposite end of the slot. This adjustment is accomplished by means of the adjusting thumbscrew 8. (Shown in Fig. 3.) If the thumbserew is slightly loosened, it may be readily moved, and re-tightening afiixes it rigidly in any position of the slot. The slot in the rear end of the operating-lever B is placed at such a pitch or angle in relation to the other parts that when the connection is affixed near its upper end, as for slight crimps or very fine gathers, the crimping-blade will pass but slightly beyond the needle; but when affixed farther down, as for larger crimps or plaits, the blade will pass beyond the needle in proportion to the size of the plait. The index stamped upon the side of the lever is for the purpose of facilitating the adjustment.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A ruffling attachment for sewing machines comprisingareciprocating crimper, an operating lever forked at the end of an arm for connection with a stud upon the needle bar of the sewing machine, the lower prong of said fork having an elongated straight interior edge, and connections between the other arm of the lever and the crimper, whereby upon the downward movement of the needle bar said lever will first move the crimper forward for a predetermined distance and then, by the movement of the stud against said straight edged prong, hold the crimper stationary until the completion of the downward movement of the needle bar.

2; A ruflling attachment for sewing machines comprising a reciprocating crimper, an operating lever forked at the end of one arm for connection with a stud'upon the needle bar of the sewing machine, the lower prong of said fork having an elongated straight inte-' rior edge, a link pivoted to the crimper and having an adjustable connection with the other arm of the lever whereby upon the downward movement of the needle bar said leverwill first move the crimper forward for a pre- ALEXANDER LAUBSGHERQ Witnesses:

A. STEWARD, J AS. A. BRANNEGAN. 

